Title: An Unexpected Christmas

Author: katnipsc

Background: Two days before Christmas, and Rose feels that this Christmas is going to be the best. A day before Christmas and Rose falls ill. On the Christmas day Romitri discover something unexpected...

The second part will be posted in 'Just Moments', on my page on Christmas day! Hope you will be there to read the conclusion!

It was the twenty third of December and for the first time in forever I had already completed my Christmas shopping for the year. Gifts, packings, everything had been done and instead of hurrying out of my shift as I had been doing for the past two years, I calmly made my way towards our apartment. It felt like Dimitri was finally rubbing off on me.

Our vacations began from today, or rather did our duty, it depended on the way one saw it. The shift for today had been only four hours long, as long as Lissa had been in office.

We had decided to decorate our home had been planning for weeks now. It was more like Lissa had been, and it was time to put it in place, she was now officially on vacation from her office until the new year, (except for the speeches that she'd have to make for her people as the queen, on the days of Christmas and New Year.)

We were happy, since we could finally have some free time together and the fact that we could be ourselves again, best friends, sisters .

Dimitri and I had now fallen into a tradition of our own, we enjoyed the homey comfy feeling of the festivies surrounded by our beloved family members.

It was the greatest of gifts that we could have ever had, and we treasured every moment of this hard earned but well appreciated life.

"Liss eat. You haven't had anything for the past six hours."

"Have you fed?"

"Anything that I could get you? Anything that I could do?"

I kept badgering her.

"Rose, do you think this would look well, or should I put up the golden ones?"

She asked.

Looking around, I couldn't find a fault.

"Liss, its perfect you've done a great job, its beautiful."

I answered honestly.

"Are you sure?"

She asked.

"Yup."

I added without a second thought.

She squealed and hugged me tight.

"Do you know what this means?"

She exclaimed joyously, confusing me.

"Nope."

I croaked cautiously, looking around to gather some idea or the hint of what was to come next, but it wasn't of great help.

"Its time to decorate our Christmas tree!"

She exclaimed, ecstatic about the idea.

It were these words that brought back memories of years we had spent doing the same at her place.

It was our tradition, mine and Lissa's. We always had our own small tree, (which for the past two years, hadn't been small at all) that we decorated together. It was fun and one of the things that added to my Christmas Spirits.

By the time we were done, it was already night and Lissa was exhausted from the work that we had done, she was already fast asleep on her couch, and as I was tucking her in sparky approached, requesting to handle things from there on.

I was greatful for his interference as I had been longing to see Dimitri after the long day, but it was not that I was going to let him know about this.

The boys had been upto something since they had been out of our sight for the entire day even after being on a vacation as us, I'd have to look into that soon, I thought making my way towards my apartment.

Opening the door, I was welcomed by a dark room and delicious aroma, if I wasn't mistaken, it was that of cookies and black bread. It reminded me of my days at the Dragomirs, where Rhea went on a full fledged baking spree, a month before Christmas making the entire home smell delicious. She was, who we called our cookie angel, who offered us two of her cookies for every good thing that we did. The days that they were!

I stood there in the dark, lost in nostalgia when strong arms wrapped around me, the warm welcoming embrace comforting me, helping me relax.

"Why is it so dark comrade, working on night vision are we?"

I asked faking confidence , trying to hide the sadness, that was killing my mood.

Dimitri didn't need to see my face to know what I was feeling, he turned me to face himself and hugged me tightly.

" It'll be all right. "

He said. Not asking any questions only assuring me that it'll be fine.

"You'll feel better soon. Close your eyes and don't open them until I say."

He said, releasing me from his embrace and returned soon enough.

Placing a light kiss on my forehead, he asked me to open my eyes and when I did, I was surprised.

"This is ours?"

I asked, after coaxing my mind to form words, it was beautifully done. I was in awe. And thus had been standing there surprised.

"You don't like it."

He stated. He didn't sound angry or disappointed, just... Emotionless, I realised. Looking at him, I saw something in him, kind of deflate, it was like something... joy, happiness or content just fade from his was trying to hide the hurt, by pulling on his Guardian mask.

Not giving myself a chance to think of the consequences or his reaction, I proceeded to ease the pain I had been causing him.

Discarding my shoes, I stood on the couch, beside which he was standing, looped my arms around his neck and leaned down to kiss him, it was moments before he gave in and I could see him relax, breaking away from the kiss,and pulling his hair tie out of his hair, I lifted his face, demanding him to look at me, and when he did, I stated most sincerely.

"No, I didn't like it, I loved it, and I am in awe, awe of you Belicov , your capabilities, your fierceness and your care, your love and your handsome face."

When I stopped , we were almost nose to nose, we hadn't realized that we had been leaning towards each other and I saw him break into a breathtaking smile moments before his lips crushed mine.

The next morning, I woke to the grumbling of my stomach, Dimitri lay beside me smiling.

"It seems that I need to feed my woman."

He said, bringing a breakfast tray to me.

I seriously doubted the fact that I had done something as good as to deserve him, he always knew all I wanted and never missed, my man was actually a god.

Smiling I sat up, went to clean myself and soon returned with a great smile on my face, I was very excited to give Dimitri the present I had brought for him, it had taken me a while to figure it out, but his care and love made me want to do better and be better for him.

We had the breakfast, and cuddled together admiring the amazing decorations that Dimitri and sparky had put up, they had cooked up a ton of cakes and cookies and made baskets to gift along with the presents, the boys had actually been working hard.

Everything was fine until a sharp pain caused me to curl up on my bed clutching my stomach.

"Ahhgg!"

I sucked in a breath to ease myself.

"Roza...! Roza!.. ... What happened?.. Rose?"

"Rose, please say something... Rose!"

He asked confused.

I was used to pain, training and the practical job of mine required me to have a tolerance for pain, but this wasn't expected and the element of surprise shocked me. It receded as soon as it had come and on relaxing, I noticed a worried Dimitri hovering around me. He had panicked and tried to ask me, but I had been to distracted to answer.

"It was nothing. I am..." breathing heavily "fine."

I tried to console him, but he had caught on my act, and nothing could fool him.

Seconds later another pang, but this time I didn't show it.

Dimitri had been studying my emotions and guessed the change.

"No you're not."

He said, snuggling with me and wrapping me in a loose embrace. He then called Carina Smith, one of the alchemists who now worked as a doctor at the moroi court, thanks to Sydney, under whose influence several alchemists were branching out of their traditional beliefs and working with morois.

Arriving soon, Carina declared that I was suffering from a stomach bug.

"Carina, damphirs don't really fall sick that easily."

I whined.

"No, they don't, but its not unheard of."

She stated sincerely.

"Let's hunt for the cause now shall we, Rose."

She added with a slight smirk.

Oh boy, she wasn't going to do that to me, not now. Seeing my expression her smile widened.

Months ago when Carina had first arrived at court, she had been surprised by my capability to eat and, the amount of junk food that I consumed nearly shocked her out of her wits. When she had tried to talk some sense into me, I had brushed her off stating that it couldn't really affect my health. I was the sole one in the group who didn't agree to her facts about health and not follow the health routine she had charted for us. It irked her but she couldn't help it. Now was her turn to drag me in and Dimitri would be on her side as well!

"When was the last time you had eaten?" she asked.

"Yesterday morning. "

I replied and Dimitri's eyes widened as he looked up at me shocked.

"What had you eaten? and from where? "

She continued.

"A couple of donuts, some chips, fried bacon and a chocolate milkshake, from the canteen ."

I replied guiltily. Dimitri was now in what I called his mentor mode, serious, agitated but calm and thinking, Carina only seemed irritated.

Carina voiced her concern and handed Dimitri a prescription.

"You shouldn't really do that to yourself Rose, I wouldn't have taken you for being so careless, but what shocks me is that these facts aren't enough to justify your sickness. Here's the prescription for the required medicines and you should recover in no time but until then I would advise you to avoid junk food and suggest to go on light food. "

She stated kindly, it was different to see the free girl transform into a kind sincere doctor.

" Dimitri. "

I called for my man when Carina had left.

He returned with a glass of fresh fruit juice in his hands.

Seeing the confusion written clearly across my face he stated.

"Until the vacation ends, I'll be taking care of your eating habits."

"In other words, you'd be babysitting me the entire vacation."

I said grumpily.

I liked it when Dimitri cared for me, but I could care for myself, he really didn't need to worry about me all the time.

And as always Dimitri knew what to say to soothe me.

" Milaya I know that you can take care of yourself and that you're a grown up, an amazing woman but doing this helps me cope with the situation, helps me realize that I am not completely useless... "

His next words were rudely interrupted when I jumped up from my place and went to tower over him by standing on the bed.

" Dare not say that you are useless, Dimitri, never. "

I said.

" Looks like you enjoy towering over me, don't you Roza? "

He joked, smiling.

"Thanks for everything Roza."

He added, surprising me with a tender hug. He now felt like a child who had been given what he desired. His words echoed the relief he felt, I guess my little episode had scared Dimitri far more than he let on.

Later that night I developed a fever and soon began the vomitings, I couldn't keep in anything that I had consumed and Dimitri was worried to no end. Carina had been informed, and when she visited she stated that it was a bad case of food headaches that developed killed my mood and as I drifted off to sleep, all I could think of was the fact that this wasn't how I had planned the day before Christmas to play out.

-o-

"Merry Christmas, milaya."

I awoke to Dimitri crooning in my ears.

"How do you feel?"

He asked.

"Think that you'd be able to eat something?"

He added casually trying to maintain his calm.

"Much better, comrade, and yes I'd like that, some cakes and cookies perhaps?"

I stated wiggling my eyebrows.

"Not now, not that."

He said bringing over a small tray full of items one would consider healthy.

It was then I noticed that he was completely washed and dressed.

"Ready for the Christmas action are we comrade?"

I joked. He smiled and urged me to have the breakfast, being the ever persistent boyfriend, he even had the same items for breakfast to help me feel better.

"What time is it?"

I asked halfway through the meal.

His answer shocked me.

"Why did you let me sleep in? Why didn't you wake me up earlier? Oh no!"

I whined throwing the covers off me and rushing into the hall worrying about the fact that I had missed it, but found Lissa and sparky having breakfast and both like me were still in their pajamas and Lissa even had her furry bunny slippers on.

" Merry Christmas, Rose!, Dimitri!"

Exclaimed Lissa happily!

Christian grunted and mumbled something unintelligent.

Dimitri was hot on my heels, and stopped in the hall, looking amused.

"Rose, Lissa knew that you were sick ao decided to wait for you to wake up, before opening the gifts."

He said.

I sat down on the couch exhausted, with an exaggerated "hummphhh!", .

"Come here you guys, all, come here."

I ordered.

Lissa came at once and soon followed Dimitri, Christian had to be coaxed but joined in nonetheless.

I surprised them with a group hug.

"I love you all."

I stated a little emotional, as they very courteously replied and we hurried to open the gifts after exchanging our greetings.

It was the grand event of the day, the highlight of the month and I absolutely loved every moment of it.

I had once heard the priest state that Christmas was important as it helped us relfect on things most important or valuable to us, our family, our faith our freedom and various other things, but it was now that I realized the actual meaning of his words.

Somewhere in the court...

"She is still alive, I gave you one job and you couldn't even complete it..."